Clutch.



PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

I.' H. SPENCER.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29. 1904.

' my clutch.

UNITED s'rA rEs PATENT orrion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed February 29, 1904. Serial No. 195,912.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISRAEL II. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a clutch more particularly for use in connection with the engines of motor-bicycles.

Figure I is a side view of the outer face of Fig. II is avertical section taken on line II II, Fig. I, through the clutch. Fig. III is an enlarged vertical section taken through the clutch on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a face view of the engine-carried stationary cani-ring of the clutch. Fig. V is a perspective View of the rocking cam-ring that engages the ring shown in Fig.v IV. Fig. VI is an enlarged section taken through parts of the cam-rings shown in Figs. IV and V in facing positions. Fig. VII is an enlarged section taken through portions of the hub of the clutch and one of the friction-shoes with one of the rocking Spreaders shown between said members. Fig. VIII is a crosssection taken on line VIII VIII, Fig. VII.

2 designates a shaft (see FigJII) that extends through a hub extension 3, projecting from a casing. The outer end of the engineshaft is split, as seen in Fig. III, and is provided with a tapering threaded bore 4, that receives a taper screw 5, by which said end of the shaft is spread to hold the clutch members thereon, as will hereinafter appear.

6 designates a stationary cam-ring (see Figs. II,- IV, and VI) that is provided with a series of cams 7, preferably three in number. cam-rin is secured to the engine-casing around t e hub extension 3 by any suitable means, such as the screws 8. (See Fig. II.)

9 designates a rocking cam ring that encircles the hub extension 3 in opposition to y the fixed cam-ring6 and is free of any connection to said hub extension, so that it may be oscillated with respect to said fixed ring. ()n the face of the cam-ring 9 opposite the cam-ring 6 are a series of cams 10, correspondih in number to the number of cams on the ed ring and adapted for engagement with said fixed ring-cams. At the opposite side of the rocking cam-ring from that occupied by the'cams 10 is a circular This bearing-ball raceway 11, that receives bearing-balls 12.

13 is a race-ring that is positioned in opposition to the rockingcam-ring 9 and is provided with a raceway in which the bearingballs 12 move in connnon with their travel in the raceway 11.

14 designates a hub that encircles the engine-shaft 2 andis screw-threaded exteriorly to receive a sprocket or other drive-wheel 15, from which power is transmitted. T he drive-wheel 15 is confined by the race-ring 13, which is also screwed onto'the hub and bears against the drive-wheel, as seen in Fig. II. Thehub 14 has an outerfriction-head 16, that is provided with acavity 17, preferably conical, as shown in Fig. II. In the outer face of the friction-head is an annular groove 18.

19 designates a barrel that is provided with a central hub 20, which is secured to the engine-shaft 2 through the medium of the taper screw 5, that fits in the split outer end of said shaft. The barrel-hub is additionallv secured to the shaft by a key 21. (See Fig. III.) The barrel 19 is provided with an annular rim 22, to which is fitted an inner faceplate 23, that is secured to the barrel-rim by bolts 24, adapted to be turned into a groove 25 interior of the barrel-rim. The face-plate 23 has loose engagement with the drivewheel hub 14 through the medium of splines 14, that are carried by said hub. (See Fig. VIII.) 26 is a spring interposed between the inner end of the barrel-hub 20 and the central portion of the drive-whcel-carrying hub 14. This spring serves to project the drive-wheel hub inwardly to carry the rock- [ing cant-ring 9 toward the fixed cam-ring 6.

27 designates a series of friction-shoes, each having one end mounted on a pivot-pin 28, carried by the barrel face-plate 23, so that said friction-shoes may be moved to the inner face of the barrel-rim 22 to bear thcrcagainst. Each of these shoes is provided with a wearblock 29, that may be of [ibcr or any other suitable material. The friction-shoes are normally held out of frictional contact with the barrel-rim by springs .30, secured thereto and resting against pins 31, projecting from the barrel face-plate. (See Fig. 111.) In the rear of each friction-shoe is a recess 32. (Sec Figs. VII and VIII.) Inter-posed between the shoes and the friction-head of the hub 16 are shoe-Spreaders that consist of the following parts: 33 represents stems having rounded ends that seat in the shoe-recesses 32 and each of which is rovided with a wrench head 34. Each of t ese stems has a screwthreaded shank 35, that is screwed into a rocking block 36, the round end 37 of which seats in the annular roove 18 in the outer end of the hub 14. Y VVhen the hlib14 is proj ected inwardly under the action of the spring 26, interposed between said hub and the bar rel-hub 20, the rocking blocks 36 are carried into the position seen in full lines, Fig. VIII, thereby positioning the spreaders just described at an les to a perpendicular line, so that the friction-shoes 27 may be held projected away from the barrel-rim 22 to avoid frictional contact therewith. When the rocking cam 9 is oscillated to bring the higher portions of its cams on the higher portions of the cams 7 of the fixed cam-ring 6, the hub .14 is moved outwardly and the spreaders between the hub and friction-shoes are carried into vertical alinement, as seen in dotted lines, Fig. VIII, thereby forcing the frictionshoes outwardly into frictional contact with the barrel-rim 22 to transmit motion from the engine-shaft through the barrel 1 9 to the friction-shoes and from the friction-shoes to the drive-wheel hub 14 and the drive-wheel thereon throu h the medium of the spreaders positioned etween the shoes and the friction-head of said hub.

It will be seen that the frictional driving engagement that has been set forth is occasioned when the rocking cam-ring 9 is thrown into a position to bring the highest parts of its cams 10 against the highest parts of the cams 7 of the stationary cam-ring 6, thereby forcing the drive-wheel shaft outwardly toward the hub of the barrel 19 a ainst the action of the spring 26, and that W en the rocking cam-ring is moved in the opposite direction the cams of the two rings 6 and 9 will face with the highest portions of one opposite the lowest portions of the other, and when they are in this position the spring 26 will cause inward movement of the drive-wheel hub 14 to move the spreaders between the head of said hub and the friction-shoes to positions at angles to a per endicularline, so that the friction-shoes wil be freed from the barrel-rim 22. The rocking cam-ring 9 is operated by suitable leverage nrechamsm connected to its arm 9.

Noinvention per se is herein claimed for the constructions hereinbefore described, they being set forth for the purpose of affording an understanding of the arts to which myhinvention relates and whic works there- Wit I I next come to the description of the portion of my clutch through the medium of which its initial operation in starting the drive-wheel 15 is obtained. It is in this construction that my present invention lies. In

' the hub of the barrel 19' are a plurality of ta ering runways 20. (See Figs. VI and V I.) These runways gradually decrease in depth from their forward ends to their rear ends, as seen in Fig. VII, and in each runway is a clutch-ball 54, that is adapted to ride therein. When the engine-shaft 2 is first rotated on the starting of the engine 1, rotation is im arted to the barrel 19, which moves'in the irec tion indicated by the arrow, Fig. VII, and as a consequence the high parts of the bases of the runways 20' are moved forwardly, and as each clutch-ball is brought to the lower side of the clutch it is caused to be riplpe'd betweenthe barrel-hub 20 at the ig oint of the corresponding runway 20 and t e opposing face of the friction-head 16 within the cavity 17. Therefore as the clutch-ball is carriedupwardl as seen at the left of Fig. VII, it acts as a 'riving medium for the drive-wheel hub 14 to impart rotationthereto, and as the ball is carried over to the left it falls back into the wider portion of the runway 20, as seen at the right of Fig, VII,

.and its driving engagement 1s discontinued.

The same action takes place with respect to each of the clutch-balls, the being alternately brought into action and re eased from action in an intermittent manner to avoid sudden strain on the parts of the clutch and the driving mechanism connected thereto, as will be ap arent.

or the urpose of preventing action of the clutchbali 54 (in their runways 20 whenever it may be desired to thro'wthem-out of action I provide retain-ing means that will now be described.

55 is a throw-plate looselyseated a ainst the outer face of the clutch-barrel 19. See Fi s. I and II.) This throw-plate is adapted to e rocked on an extension 20, rojecting from the barrel-hub20, and its rocliing movement is limited by a sto 'screw 56, that is seated in the barrel-hub an asses through a slot 57 in the throwplate. gee Fig. I.)

58 is the handle of saidthrow-plate, that is provided at its rear side with a projection that is ada ted to enter recesses 59 in the outer face oFthe barrel 1 9 to retain the throwplate in a set position.

60 is a throwin seated in the throw-plate 55 and passing t rough a slot 61 in the barrel- .hub 20, in WhlCh' it operates when the throwplate handle is thrown from side to side. The mner end of the throw pin 60'is secured to a shiftlate 52, see Figs. II and III,)- that loose y surrounds the en e shaft 2 and forms the inner walls of t e clutch-ball runways 20. I

63 representsshift-pins carriedb the shiftplate' 62 entering mto the clutc -ball runwa s.

hen itis desired to hold the clutch-balls 54 in inactive positions, the throw-plate 55 is rotated in a direction that will cause corresponding rotation of the shift plate 62 t rough the medium of the throw-pin 60 to carry the shift-pins 63 from the reduced ends of the clutch-b all runways, at which they are shown in Fig. 111, forwardly toward the deep ends of the runways into the positions seen in dotted lines. While the shit pins are in such position the clutch-balls are maintained in the deeper ends of their runways in which it is impossible for them to become gripped between the barrel-shaft 20 and the drivingwheel-hub head 16, and they therefore remain inactive, and the drive-wheel hub may be rotated with. the drive-wheel thereon independently of the remainder of the clutch mechanism, as is desirable in an instance Where the engine to which my clutch is applied becomes out of order, and it is necessary to propel the bicycle by foot-power.

claim as my invention- 1. In a clutch, the combination of a shaft, a hub fixed to said shaft and having taperin runways, a drive-wheel hub having a head fittin over said shaft-carried hub, clutchballs in said runwa s, and means for retaining said clutch-bal s at the deepest ends of sa1d runways said means consistmg of a rocking shift-plate, pins carried by said shiftplate extending into said runways, and a throw-plate having connection with said shift-plate, substantially as set forth.

2. n a clutch, the combination of'a shaft, a hub fixed to said shaft and having tapering runways, a drive-wheel hub having a hea fittin over said shaft-carried hub, clutchballs in said runways, and means for retaining said clutch-balls at the deepest ends'of sa1d runways said means consisting of a rocking shift-plate, pins carried by said shift-plate extending into said runways, and a rocking throw-plate having connection with said shiftplate, substantially as set forth.

ISRAEL H. SPENCER. In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, NELLIE V. ALEXANDER. 

